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Milonga Spotlight: El Pato Loco

June 4, 2019

SF Bay Area’s newest milonga: “El Pato Loco” (The Crazy Duck!)  

Since the inaugural launch in March at the Starline Social Club in Oakland, the milonga has attracted a great crowd of tango dancers looking to spend a casual Sunday afternoon dancing. The third edition is happening this Sunday June 9, 12 PM to 4 PM, with DJ Selene playing traditional tango music.

The milonga is held on the 2nd floor of the club, a historic Victorian building built in 1893, featuring a 4,000 sq ft sprung maple dance floor and professional sound system. There are alfajores and empanadas being sold at the milonga by Wooden Table Cafe, a local Argentine owned business (who are tango dancers themselves) and a bar in-house with a fantastic assortment of drinks (beer, wine, cocktails, mocktails, juice, tea, iced coffee, including some refreshing tango-themed mixes). The first floor is also a bar and restaurant which has already found many dancers hanging out post-milonga, loathe to part from each other’s company. A good sign they had a great time and still wanting to continue the positive tango vibes!

Its time slot helps answer a question often raised by passionate tango dancers – an eclectic bunch that run the gamut of Bay Area work-life – artists, teachers, engineers, students, yogis, biotechies, traveling sales-folks, baristas, webdevs and more. When the laundry and other necessary weekend chores are done, and being responsible adults (most of the time) trying as hard as possible to not stay out too late on a Sunday evening: “Where can I dance on a weekend afternoon?”

As it is often challenging to find an enjoyable place to dance, and especially in larger tango communities like San Francisco’s, success is determined by multiple factors. Is it convenient to get to? Is it affordable and sustainable to run? Is the venue enjoyable to dance in (floor, temperature, ambiance, music, etc)? Is there food and drink at reasonable cost? These are some of the things, though not the only ones, that can contribute to the overall appeal, and are often questions only answered after some time.  

The hosts, Hereen Oh, and Scott Boddye, are local tango dancers presenting this milonga in partnership with Starline and the support of tango friends. Having recently moved to SF from NYC just a few years ago, they arrived as dancers not having “grown up” in the area, starting fresh and looking to make the Bay Area their home – in both the literal and figurative senses of the word – physically, emotionally, and in this specific context: their “tango home”.

Having danced for years in New York and the East Coast, as well as a lengthy sojourn of several months in Buenos Aires just prior to moving to the Bay, El Pato Loco is built upon their own hopes, principles, and unfulfilled tango needs that they’d surfaced as they began settling in. Arriving in the Bay Area just as a popular Sunday early evening milonga in Oakland was ending (the now closed Studio 1924 venue), and for a couple of years taking in the depth and breadth of the Bay Area tango scene as regular social dancers, they experienced the challenges of meeting people, making friends, and witnessed milonga organizers’ struggles to keep venues and events both vibrant and sustainable.

They danced at as many of the tango events they could find, large and small, checking out what the area had to offer, and making new friendships and connections. But their experience getting to know the SF Bay Area community as new members from elsewhere, vs. the many of us who grew up learning and living tango here for years, combined with a desire to find their own tango home, has perhaps given them an insightful perspective (though perhaps not uncommon):

Hereen shared, “…for a while, everywhere we went, we didn’t know anybody, and that forces you to really look around, really do the cabeceo stuff…” Attending smaller and less attended tango events connected them with dancers they otherwise wouldn’t have met at larger venues. In a relatively short period of time, they have come to know the community well, perhaps in ways better than folks living within it for years might know itself.

At the least, their early tango experiences dancing in the Bay have given them fresh momentum in creating El Pato Loco. With the recent closure (though hopefully only temporarily) of a popular Saturday afternoon tango event in SF – the practica at Bissap Baobab – Hereen and Scott finally decided to start El Pato Loco with a careful “soft launch”, to relatively quiet fanfare, inviting all the folks they knew, and arrived with resoundingly successful beginnings. Both the first and second events were well received, showing solid promise with the support of many of the Bay’s avid social dancers and organizers in attendance, they’ve decided to continue to hold the milonga on a monthly basis, to the delight of their supporters.

Why El Pato Loco?

(Photo Credit: www.teresatamstudio.com) During their stay in Buenos Aires, while attending a musicality workshop with a couple of popular, internationally renowned maestros, the teachers used the example, “como un gato enojado” in an effort to explain their idea – which from then on became an ongoing joke between them to explain those vague concepts often difficult to grasp in tango, often not making much sense at all. “Como un gato enojado!” “Like an angry cat!” 

So in coming up with the name, they played around with the idea, names like “”La Cabra Ansiosa,” “El Perro Relajante,” or “El Pollo Borracho,” with a playfulness true to their “tongue-in-cheek” humor, as many of their friends know of them. And so was born, “El Pato Loco,” because it was “easiest to remember…and…rolled off the tongue,” says Scott. 🙂

They’ve reached out to attendees for feedback via online surveys in addition to checking in with folks both during and post-milonga, and tweaks to improve things from the first event to the second are noticeable. Like mama y papa patos, Hereen and Scott are lovingly and thoughtfully growing a place where patitos locos can go to dance. Quack, quack, go, enjoy, and wish them well!

In addition to the past Facebook events linked above, check out these wonderful Facebook photo albums created by various tango community members who’ve attended. And for more details, join the Milonga El Pato Loco Facebook group! To get in contact with the hosts, you can reach them at ElPatoLocoMilonga@gmail.com.

Filed Under: Interviews, Milonga Spotlight Tagged With: Argentine Tango, Bay Area Milonga, Bay Area Tango

Tango scenes in SF

sflovestango

Celebrate #bayareatango community, support everyone involved & share ♥️ of #tango with San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

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✨ Vecher Tango at the Russian Center had another ✨ Vecher Tango at the Russian Center had another star-struck night!✨

@ariadnayfernando returned to San Francisco after their last visit in 2016 for @noras_tango_week.

On top of teaching all afternoon and performing four songs of their choice, they surprised us with an improvised encore to live music by Seth Asarnow (@sethasarnow on piano) and Adrian Jost (@fueyequerido on bandoneón), a first-time collaboration for the four artists altogether!! 👏👏♥️♥️🙌🙌 ¡Qué celebración del Tango!

Thank you Julia Schiptsova @juliasch999 and Davood Yazdani for bringing @ariadnanaveira and @fernet_sanz back to SF! We look forward to welcoming them back later this year in Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for details.

Check out our stories for video snippets from the amazing evening!
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino  #tangoperformance #bailar #bailemos #bailando #tangoshow #tangoevent #tangoperformance #tangodancer #tangocouple #specialevent #onenightonly #tangophoto #sanfrancisco #tangoislife #sflovestango #livemusic #duo #bandoneon #piano #improvisation
That Saturday night ❤️‍🔥 when Duo Villarr That Saturday night ❤️‍🔥 when Duo Villarreal Crom, @juanvillarreal_13 and @patriciocrom joined forces with Orquesta Típico Domo at @thetangodome !🎶🎻🎸🎹🎤
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #tangomusic #tangoconcert #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusicians #travelingmusicians #duo #guitarists #livemusic #milonga #contemporarytango  #bayareatango #sflovestango #oakland #weekendvibes #goodvibesonly #performanceart #tangoislife
Part 3️⃣ of Duo @juanvillarreal_13 & @patricio Part 3️⃣ of Duo @juanvillarreal_13 & @patriciocrom Crom at @thetangodome … a Chacarera! When the musicians extended an invitation to the audience to join them on stage, a few dancers spontaneously jumped at the chance! 👏👏👏👏
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #tangomusic #tangoconcert #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusicians #travelingmusicians #duo #guitarists #livemusic #argentinefolklore #contemporarytango  #bayareatango #sflovestango #oakland #weekendvibes #goodvibesonly #performanceart #tangoislife
REPOSTING… because how could one resist missing REPOSTING… because how could one resist missing the standing ovation *and* an encore because earlier post got cut off due to unknown glitch🙈… Second half of part 1️⃣ the highlights from an amazing night at @thetangodome with Duo 🎸🎸 @juanvillarreal_13 and @patriciocrom ! And our very own @scottodaymusic made it a guitar trio for the encore! 
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #tangomusic #tangoconcert #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusicians #travelingmusicians #duo #guitarists #livemusic #argentinefolklore #contemporarytango  #bayareatango #sflovestango #oakland #weekendvibes #goodvibesonly #performanceart #tangoislife
❤️‍🔥DJ @lebendiguna DROPS THE NEEDLE with ❤️‍🔥DJ @lebendiguna DROPS THE NEEDLE with the world’s fastest learning curve!❤️‍🔥

When Una’s laptop unexpectedly failed to connect to @thetangodome sound system, Daniel Peter’s vinyl collection and on-the-spot knowledge transfer to the rescue!! 😮🔥🧯❤️ After watching Dan just a few times dropping the needle between tracks, Una hit the track her FIRST TIME trying‼️✌️

🎥 @thetangodome 
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #milonga #tangodj #tangomusic #vinylrecords #newskillunlocked #tangoislife #oldtechisgoodtech #bayareatango #oakland
Part 2️⃣ from a fun Saturday night at @thetang Part 2️⃣ from a fun Saturday night at @thetangodome with Duo Villarreal Crom, featuring Tango Guitarists @juanvillarreal_13 and… Señor D'ARIENZO?! 👀🤨 Can you guess what was happening here? 😆😉
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #tangomusic #tangoconcert #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusicians #travelingmusicians #duo #guitarists #puppet #bayareatango #sflovestango #oakland #weekendvibes #goodvibesonly #performanceart #tangoislife
Part 1️⃣ of the highlights from an amazing nig Part 1️⃣ of the highlights from an amazing night at @thetangodome with Duo Villarreal Crom, featuring Tango Guitarists @juanvillarreal_13 and @patriciocrom ! 💎 watch till the end to see SF’s very own guitarist @scottodaymusic joined them for an encore!

🎸ABOUT THE ARTISTS🎸
Juan Villarreal and Patricio Crom began working together in 2010 playing tangos in milongas and clubs in the city of Buenos Aires. From the beginning, the Duo Villarreal-Crom, tried to find a particular aesthetic and a unique style that they have refined with the passing of the years.

Today they are one of the most renowned duos on the tango scene in Buenos Aires and the world, having made countless tours in Latin America, Europe and the United States.

They have released 4 albums: "De corte romántico (2012)", "Cinco tonos (2015)", "En la luna de Valencia (2017)" and "D'Arienzo en guitarras (2022)". In May 2023 they will present their new album consisting entirely of original works.  In 2022, they were on the cover of the renowned German magazine "Tangodanza", the world's largest tango magazine.
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #tangomusic #tangoconcert #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusicians #travelingmusicians #duo #guitarists #livemusic #argentinefolklore #contemporarytango  #bayareatango #sflovestango #oakland #weekendvibes #goodvibesonly #performanceart #tangoislife
♥️ 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 ♥️ (link in bio🔗)

Did you know that the very first post on SF Loves Tango was published by @maikalanidesigns on 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟮? And April 21, 2019, is when the brains and hands behind SF Loves Tango changed to us, @jxtango ? We would like to celebrate these anniversaries by recapping what we’ve accomplished post-COVID and start looking ahead!
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#bayareatango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tango #tangocommunity #sanfrancisco #sflovestango #dancingislife #tangostories #beyondthedance
👋 Many of you know @aviksbasu and Mitra Martin 👋 Many of you know @aviksbasu and Mitra Martin as accomplished tango dancers and teachers. But did you know they are also professional researchers with curiosity and interest to understand tango better?

Check out this cool new research project they are working on: the 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆! (link in bio 🔗)

⏳ It takes about 20-30 minutes to answer some intriguing (anonymous) questions about what you experience as you dance - mental talk, images, sensations, etc.

🎯 Fill it out today and help them reach their goal of 1000 participants by April 30th! They’ll gather neat data to create more empathy and understanding and help the community grow.
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino #community #tangocommunity #project #research #qualitativeresearch #communitybuilding #sflovestango
Abrazo, the queer milonga, happens every 3rd Satur Abrazo, the queer milonga, happens every 3rd Saturday of the month, and today, April 15, @abrazoqueertango welcomed @inesmuzzopappa for the first time and the pre-milonga class was sold out!
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#tango #argentinetangoclasses #tangoworkshop #tangoargentino #queertango #tangoevent #bayareatango #berkeley #bailemostango #milonga #learningisfun #dancingislife
✨SATURDAY NIGHT TANGO ✨ Che! Milonga is a con ✨SATURDAY NIGHT TANGO ✨

Che! Milonga is a conventional 4.5-hour long milonga with a cozy and casual vibe that happens on 1st and 2nd Saturday of the month at La Pista Tango Studio. 

Tucked away among storage and industrial spaces for local businesses, La Pista is a dedicated tango studio frequently used for classes and workshops. With lighting, seating, wall projection, and table decoration arrangements, our beloved hosts, Ramada and @tanguera_e , put thoughtful touches that give the space a nightclub ambiance.

Check out our February story drop featuring @che_tango_sf (sflovestango.com/che-tango-sf/) and tomorrow, Saturday, April 8, is your chance to dance at their Che Milonga with DJ @kostas_aretos ! 

📸 from Che Milonga on Saturday, April 1st with DJ @ayano.yoneda.tango 
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino #tangodancers #tangolovers #dancecouple #socialdancing #tangoevent #milonganight #embrace #bailar #bailemos #dance #partnerdance #improvisation #dancingislife #sflovestango
❤️ 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 ❤️
Women's History Month is almost over, but celebrating the impact of women is today and every day! 

Remember the Women's Gathering hosted by @ayano.yoneda.tango in the beginning of this year? Are you curious about the 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 and 𝙬𝙝𝙮 behind these events? 
"𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 – 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳-𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 – 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴, 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳." – Ayano Yoneda

More in our latest story drop (🔗 link in bio)!
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino #tangoevent #tangostories #tangocommunity #bayareatango #tangosanfrancisco #womensupportwomen #communitybuilding #lifteachotherup #sflovestango
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